Gaymar Industries, Inc., the assignee of this application, is a manufacturer of cushion like devices. These cushions which have at least one bladder are designed to contain fluids. In many cases the fluid is aqueous solutions and/or air. These cushions are used as seat cushions, mattresses, overlays and any other cushion designed to have a patient positioned thereon. Most of the cushions made by Gaymar are designed for therapeutic purposes.
Inflatable therapeutic cushions for patients have been known for many years. Many therapeutic cushions are designed to reduce “interface pressures”; the pressure encountered between a cushion and a patient's skin positioned on the cushion. It is known that interface pressures can significantly affect the well-being of immobile patients in that higher interface pressures can reduce local blood circulation, tending to cause bed sores and other complications. With inflatable cushions, such interface pressures depend (in part) on the air pressure within the inflatable support cushions.
There are numerous types of inflatable cushion designs. These designs have combinations of bladders that can (1) vibrate, (2) rotate, (3) create wave motions, (4) provide percussion, (5) provide support, and (6) combinations thereof (hereinafter referred to as “Objectives”) to a user of the cushion. These designs have been incorporated in numerous cushion designs by Gaymar Industries, Inc. as of the filing of this application.
In particular, those cushion designs have been used in numerous Gaymar mattress systems. Those mattress systems 200, as illustrated in FIG. 1, have at least one inflatable bladder capable of performing an Objective 210, a control unit 220, and a conduit 230 that interconnects the control unit 220 to the inflatable bladder(s) 210. The control unit 220 can be outside the mattress system 200 (not shown) or within the mattress system 200, as illustrated in FIG. 1. For purposes of this application, we will only address those mattress systems that have the control unit within the mattress system.
We are making this limitation because the present invention is directed solely to self-contained mattress systems. Self-contained mattress systems are preferred in hospital settings because they are easier to clean—no disconnecting of hoses from the control unit and the bladder(s).
Self-contained mattress systems have the control unit 220 normally and preferably at the foot of the system 240, a plurality of bladders 210 designed to accomplish at least one Objective, and a plurality of conduits 230 that interconnect the bladders 210 to the control unit 230. In all prior Gaymar mattress systems and those known to Gaymar, there is a single control unit 220.
That single control unit 220, as illustrated in FIG. 2, has a plurality of input keys 221 interconnected to at least a microprocessor 222. That microprocessor 222 is at least interconnected to pumps, fans, valves and/or switches 223 that push, pull and/or allow (by potential energy contained in the bladder(s)) a fluid through the conduits 230 and the bladder(s) 210. The fluid is contained within a reservoir and/or ambient environment 224. In any case, the fluid is used in the respective bladder to obtain the desired Objective.
There are numerous problems with such self-contained mattress systems 200. One of these problems is that such mattress systems can remain horizontal 201 and/or incline from the horizontal position 201 to about a 45° incline 202 relative to the horizontal position 201 and from a bend point 203. The mattress systems with the above-identified technology is unable to effectively and reliably continue to obtain the Objectives and simultaneously convert the mattress system from a horizontal position to a chair-like position (having an angle greater than 75° (line 75) and less than 180° (line 180) relative to the horizontal position and taken from the bend point 203, and hereinafter referred to as the “Conversion”).
Conventional mattress systems are unable to reliably make the Conversion because the one control unit, normally positioned at and/or near one of the ends 235, 240, has a plurality of conduits extending the length (L) of the mattress system 200. When the mattress system is converted from the horizontal position 201 and/or the inclined position 201 to a chair like conformation (greater than 75°) the conduits 230 kink, become deformed, and do not properly transfer the desired amount of fluid to the bladder(s) 210. And if the bladder(s) 210 fail to receive the desired amount of fluid, the bladder(s) 210 do not complete its Objective.
The present invention solves this problem and others.